cracks
by tatty ted
Summary: He thought he was clever, thought he'd got away with the perfect crime. Until he realised there was a witness, his victim's four year old daughter. He knows he has to stop her from talking, she is, after all the only one who can send him down but with both Rachel and Janet becoming close to the witness, it won't be an easy task. - —Janet/Rachel/OC.
1. CHAPTER I

**notes** — so this is my first multi-chaptered story in the Scott&Bailey fandom. it's written in the point of view of the witness, a little girl which i've never done before. still, there's a first time for everything! please feedback, it means an awful lot.

* * *

**cracks**  
_two beds and a coffee machine._

* * *

We're sat on the floor, the television on with I Can Cook on in the background. Me and Mummy are reading Peppa Pig together, I'm laughing because mummy's saying the story in a funny voice.

There's a knock on the door and mummy puts a finger to her lips. I nod hoping the person will go away so mummy could read Peppa again. The knock gets louder and louder and I snuggle into my mummy feeling scared.

"I know you're in there Nikki, open up!" It's a man's voice, it's rough and I feel scared. Mummy kisses the top of my head and stands up. As she kneels down to my level she tells me quietly,

"Hide and don't say anything."

I swallow the lump in my throat and nod my head. I listen to my mummy and I go to our bedroom. My teddy bear is on the bed and I pick it up, hold it tight to my chest and climb underneath the bed, my hiding place.

I hear the scratching of something in the door, a key maybe? The door opens and the rough voice asks again; "Where's my money?"

"I don't have your money, you know I don't."

I close my eyes tightly, hoping nothing bad happens to me and mummy. I hear something smash and I take a deep breath, he must not find me, he must not find me. The voices get louder and louder, more things smash and I start whispering the words my mummy told me when I am scared.

She says they will keep me safe.

I whisper them, over and over. I see the man. He's an old man, with grey hair and he's very, very tall. He has a funny mark on his face, a zig-zag down his cheek and I hope he cannot see me under the bed.

There's a bang, a loud bang and it hurts my ears. He leaves and pulls the door shut behind him. I wait until I know it's safe to leave my hiding place. I crawl out on my hands and knees, collecting my teddy and holding him to my chest again.

I slowly tip-toe out of the bedroom, hoping I do not make a sound.

"Mummy?" I call out but nobody answers. The landing is quiet and it's only then that I notice there's something red on the wall. I squeeze my teddy tighter, my tummy feeling funny and tears filling my eyes.

I am scared.

"Mummy?" I call again but I see her. She's on the floor, lying on her tummy. She's lying in something red and I try my hardest not to get it on my white dress because I know mummy will be cross. I get it on my dress and I touch my mummy,

"Mummy, the bad man's gone, you can wake up now."

I whisper. Mummy doesn't move, mummy doesn't answer and I stand back up and go back to my hiding place. I stay in my hiding place, crying, cuddling teddy, hoping my mummy would wake up soon.

I hide, showing mummy that I am a big, brave girl.

I don't know how long I've been hiding for but I'm thirsty and hungry. Even Mr Ted wants mummy to wake up so she can make us our favourite strawberry jam sandwiches. I'm bored without mummy, it's not fun with nobody to play hide with.

I hear a knock on the door and I feel cold. I'm scared it's that bad man again. I feel funny again, my tummy hurts and I feel really, really sick. I hold my breath as the knock gets louder and louder and louder.

I pull teddy close and whisper "go away, go away" over and over again until the knocking can no longer be heard. I breath a sigh of relief until the door flies open. I squeel in shock and fear and I feel my dress getting wet.

There's voice and footsteps and sirens. People are talking and I'm scared. I'm scared they're bad people coming to hurt me and mummy. I start crying just as I see footsteps edge towards the bed. I try to stop crying because I don't want mummy to be cross but I can't.

A face appears at the other end of the bed, "Hello."

I don't say anything or do anything. I just snuggle into Mr Ted hoping the person will go away.

"I'm Janet, I'm a police officer."

I think she's lying, telling lies to hurt me and mummy. But the more I look at her, there's something about her that I trust and I slide out from underneath the bed, the teddy still in my hands and clutched to my chest. As I clutch her hand, trusting the stranger she asks; "Should we get you changed?"

I nod. It's quiet until I whisper, "Where's my mummy?"

She doesn't tell me, she tries to distract me by asking questions. I don't answer, I don't care. I just want my mummy.

* * *

**jottings** — so it's something different i suppose, if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3 will warn you now, this piece will most likely be out of character as i haven't seen scott&bailey in so long:|


	2. CHAPTER II

ϟ

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**.  
_and don't be afraid._

* * *

She changes my clothes ever so gently. She takes me out of my white dress and dresses me into a pair of white tights and a bright pink dress. She sits beside me on the bed and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

"What's your name?"

I keep the teddy close to my chest, swinging my legs backwards and forwards. I look at her with wide eyes before I answer that my name is Ainsley. There's a noise, the sound of the bedroom door opening and I look to the door.

I feel scared when I see a brown haired person. Janet seems to notice that I feel scared and she answers; "This is Rachel, she's a friend of mine."

I nod. I understand. Rachel won't hurt me. Janet won't hurt me either. Janet takes my hand again and they lead me out of the house. I try not to walk on the cracks, (it's bad luck to stand on them), and I notice that it's a very bright day, the sun's shining and I feel sad.

Me and my mummy should be at the park today.

"Where's my mummy?" I ask again but nobody answers. I feel scared and sick and my chest feels tight. I think something bad's happened to my mummy because no-one is telling me what's wrong or where she is.

A tear falls down my cheek and lands on top of the teddy's head. I sniff. I bite my lip. I hold my teddy close.

I sit in the back of the car, my feet can't touch the ground because I'm a tiny person. Rachel puts on my seatbelt and sits next to me. She tries to be kind, she tries to distract me, asking me what my teddy's called.

"He's called Ted." I answer. I swallow hard. There's a lump in my throat.

She touches my hand and I ask, "Where are we going?"

She doesn't answer. She won't tell me where we are going. I hope we're seeing mummy, I miss my mummy's hugs. I hold the teddy to my chest tighter and Rachel looks at teddy, then me, then out of the window.

I to look at the window, the scenery changing as we drive past. I see mummy's and daddy's and baby's. I see balloons and teddy's and parks. I feel sad again. My chest feels funny. I feel like I'm going to cry but I shouldn't.

I'm a big brave girl, I have to be a big brave girl for mummy.

We reach a building. It's tall and big and very scary. I undo my seatbelt and we walk towards the building. I wonder if I'm going to see mummy here. Inside is different, funny, strange. I have to walk up lots of steps and my legs start to hurt.

I get taken to a room.

A big room, with a table and paper and crayons. Rachel and Janet tell me I can draw whatever I want. I walk towards the table, curious. I drop teddy on the floor and pick up a black crayon. I stare at the crayon, at the paper and draw a line.

"What do we do now?" Rachel whispers to Janet.

"We wait." Janet answers. She steps into the room but I don't notice. I am too busy drawing my memories. The way I remember my mummy, the way her body looked funny on the floor. I let go off the crayon, allowing it to roll off the other side of the table.

It hits the floor. I bite my lip, "When can I see mummy?"

"Soon darling." She whispers. I nod. I understand. Mummy's probably poorly and I can't see her just yet. I pick up the yellow crayon and scribble on the paper. I am rough and I rip the paper. I feel like screaming. I feel annoyed and angry.

I throw my crayon on the floor, I pick up teddy and throw him too.

"I want my mummy!" I scream. I kick. I cry. Janet holds me close. She runs her hand through my hair as I cry into her chest. I want mummy. I want mummy and nobody will let me see her or tell me about her, "I want my mummy!"

"I know you do darling, ssh." She whispers. She tries to get me to stop crying. She tries to distract me but it doesn't work. I only want my mummy, its only ever me and mummy. Its always me and mummy, so where is mummy now?

* * *

**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review! i apologise about the late update, once i'm distracted, i'm distracted.


	3. CHAPTER III

ϟ

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**.  
_you're my darling angel._

* * *

She's lovely and warm as she holds me in her arms. Her hugs are different to mummy's though, they don't feel the same.

"I want my mummy!" I scream. I hit her hard and I scream because I want my mummy. My mummy's the only person I want. I want my mummy. She runs her fingers through my hair and whispers the same words over and over again.

I think she's trying to get me to be calm but it isn't working. Her voice just makes me miss my mummy more, I long to hear my mummy tell me words of comfort. I want mummy to be the one to tell me everything's going to be okay.

"When can I — s_niff — _see my mummy — _sniff?_"

She looks me in the eye and doesn't say anything for a second. Then she whispers; "Ainsley, your mummy's gone to heaven."

I don't believe her! My mummy cannot be in heaven. She asks if I know what heaven is and I nod. Of course I know what heaven is, that's where my daddy is. Mummy always told me daddy was in heaven because he was a hero and he died.

"Who'll look after me now?" I ask. If mummy is dead and so is daddy, who will look after me? There will be no one will there, I will be on my own. I look at Janet and feel a tear roll down my cheek, "Will I be on my own?"

She shakes her head and explains, tells me that a lovely woman will find me somewhere nice to stay.

I don't believe her. No where will be nice without mummy.

She leaves me to colour again as she goes to the corner of the room. The other girl is there, Rachel, the one who seems nervous around me. She doesn't really know what to do with a little person like me.

"How is she?"

"Oh you know, confused, scared. The more mite doesn't know what's going on." Janet sighs deeply. She hates cases like this, cases that involve children. They don't need to see such evil in this world, they just need to be protected from it.

"Have we been able to trace any relatives?"

Rachel shook her head and answers; "Kevin's looking but no, nothing so far."

I don't know why adults do that, go and talk in corners. They think I won't hear but I do. I hear. I'm little. I hear everything. I know they're talking about me. They're trying to find me somewhere to live without mummy but there is no-one. It was always just mummy and me.

"Where's Janet?" I ask when I see Rachel sit next to me. I like Janet, she's kind.

"She'll be back in a minute, okay?"

I nod. I pick up another colour, this time its blue and make a pretty picture. I put the crayon down when I am finished and hold up the picture. I give it to Rachel with a smile, "This is for you and Janet, its a picture of you both."

Rachel studies the photo that Ainsley had drawn and smiles. It was a picture of two figures, Rachel and Janet, underneath a rainbow. She wonders how Ainsley could draw something happy despite everything that had happened.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it thank you."

There's a silence. I crawl off the chair and underneath the table to pick up my teddy bear I threw under there and sits back on the chair beside Rachel. I swing my legs backwards and forwards, "Can I say goodbye to mummy?"

"I don't think that's a good idea Ainsley."

"Please." Rachel shakes her head. She knows it wouldn't be right to have a four year old say goodbye to her mother, especially not in the state she was in. That image, the image of death would stay with Ainsley for life, it would never fade.

"You're mean." I comment, fold my arms across my chest and pout. Rachel laughs, yup, she was mean.

* * *

**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	4. CHAPTER IV

ϟ

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**.  
_don't think your irreplaceable._

* * *

"Has she said anything?" It's the first thing Gill asks when she sees Janet and Rachel. Both of them shake their head. Ainsley hadn't uttered a word about anything, she just kept repeating she wanted to see her mum. It was her survival instinct, she didn't want to believe.

"She just wants her mum, that's all she keeps saying."

"And she hadn't said anything about what happened?"

Janet shook her head, "Nothing, not one word. Do you want me to try and get her to talk?"

Gill was silent for a moment. Ainsley was their only witness yet she was only a child. She was four years old and most likely traumatised by what she'd seen. So traumatised that she could've blocked out the memories.

There's a sigh, "I want a Child Psychologist down here, asap, understood?"

The team nodded. They understood.

/

The picture she's drawn is completely different to the other. The picture she'd drawn earlier was happy, filled with bright colours and contained happy thoughts. This picture — this picture was deep and dark and full of hate and anger.

"What's this picture about?" The Psychologist asks. She's used to working with children like Ainsley who've experienced such trauma, children who's thoughts needed opening up again.

I hear what the woman asks and I stare at the photo. It's nearly all black apart from the dots of red that are littered around the body. I don't really like this woman, she's not caring or sensitive like Rachel or Janet.

"What's this picture about?" She asks me again and I swallow. I point to the figure that's lying on the floor, "That's mummy, she's dead. That's the blood around her." I move to the little girl in the dress and holding the teddy, "That's me."

"Who's that?"

She points to the man who I've drawn leaving the house, "Duhh, that's the bad man."

"The bad man?" She repeats. I nod, "The bad man, you know, the man who hurt my mummy."

The Psychologist sighs and she leaves the room leaving me alone. I scrunch up the piece of paper into a ball and throw it across the room. I am bored. I want to go home! I want my mummy and then we can both go home!

/

Clara the psychologist looked at Gill, "She's definitely seen something, she refers to him as "the bad man"."

"So she's seen him?" The Psychologist nodded, "Yes she's seen something. The only way to unlock that memory is to someone she trusts. Someone she can identify her mother in, if she trusts you, she may tell you."

"How long will that take?"

"I have no idea. She could tell you today, she could tell you tomorrow. She might never tell you. It's up to the child whether or not she can face the feeling that memory may make her experience."

"Thanks." The Psychologist walked off and left Gill, Janet and Rachel looking at the little girl. What a sad case, a woman murdered and the only witness was her four year old daughter. Janet made eye contact with Gill and then Rachel;

"Can I try? I know she trusts me." Getting the approval of Gill and Rachel, Janet re-entered the room. They all knew that if they didn't get Ainsley to talk soon, the case would become an unsolved murder and would probably never be touched again.

/

"Hello again Ainsley."

I look up. Janet's back and I smile. I have missed her, "Where did you go? I thought you died too."

She looked sad at my comment and sat down beside me. The first thing she asked was where was my picture. I told her it was on the floor as a paper ball because I was bored and I didn't like it anymore.

Silence.

"Ainsley, nobody's going to hurt you now, you're safe. If you saw anything, it would be a good idea to tell someone. They'll be able to help you then."

"Are you talking about the bad man Janet?"

"The bad man? Who's he?"

There's a pause. I swing my legs. I don't know what to say, "Where's Rachel gone?"

"She's in the office, she's just talking to somebody."

"Oh, okay. Did she like my picture?"

Janet nodded at the young girl, "She loved your picture, she said it was very pretty."

"I didn't have a brown crayon so I had to give her blue hair. She wasn't cross was she?"

"No she wasn't cross."

"Good."

There's another pause. I swing my legs again, I look at Janet and I answered; "I saw the bad man, he scared me. I'm scared he's going to come back and hurt me. He won't though will he? You and Rachel won't let him hurt me will you?"

Janet pulled me close, "No we won't let him hurt you, I promise."

* * *

**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	5. CHAPTER V

ϟ

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**.  
_they just don't understand._

* * *

I sit, half on the seat and half on Janet's lap, still drawing.

Again it's different. It's colourful and bright, not like before; "I saw the bad man, he was mean to mummy. He shouted at her."

"Have you been the bad man before?"

I close my eyes and think. I shake my head. I hadn't seen the bad man before. That was the only time, the last time. I open my eyes again and notice I have accidently scribbled on the table. Oops, I say softly, lick my finger and try to rub it off.

"Can you describe him for me Ainsley?"

"He's tall, really big. He's old too and he has grey hair. He had—"

I pause. There's nothing spoken between me and Janet, "He had a funny thing on his face. It was on his cheek. It was a — a zigzag."

Janet nods, "You're doing really well Ainsley, is there anything else?"

"He had a funny voice," I answer back and I chew my lower lip. I pick up the crayon, a bright blue one and scribble on the paper. I shuffle off Janet's lap and onto the chair again. She looks at me and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Well done," she smiles softly and I smile. I am proud of myself. I'm sure mummy would be proud of me to for telling the truth. Janet strokes my cheek before she gets up and walks towards the door again.

As she turns round, I make eye contact with her and smile —

"I need a wee," I said gently and she laughs. She extendes her hand, "Come on darling, we'll go to the toilet."

/

He thinks, no scrap that, he knows he's got away with the perfect crime.

A whore. A gold-digger and a slut, one shot wound to the chest — _dead — _she's dead! No-one will miss her, she had no family, no friends, nobody. He wouldn't miss her, she'll just be a unsolved case in the MET's database, unsolved and eventually forgotten.

Just like the rest of the whore's he's killed over time.

He'd burnt his clothes in the garden, thrown the gun into a river and cleaned himself up, still convinced he'd done it. The perfect crime. He didn't expect a child, a girl of four to bring him down. That beautiful blue eyed child would be his downfall.

/

"Can I see mummy?" I ask again. I know Rachel said I couldn't but she doesn't understand. I want to say bye to mummy, especially if I'm never going to see her again. It would be nice to have a cuddle for the last time.

"Ainsley," she says my name so gently and I look at her, "I don't think you should see your mummy."

"But why?" I ask. I know she's dead but daddy was dead and I still said goodbye to him, "Please!"

"I'm sorry."

I kick the table angrily, "I hate you! You're mean and horrible and I never want to see you again!" I keep kicking the table. I hate her. I hate her so much because she won't let me see my mummy for one final time. I WANT MY MUM.

Why don't people let me see her.

I throw my teddy on the floor and then I sit, hands over ears, knees to my chest. I rock, (backwards, forwards, backwards)

I cry. I cry because I'm scared. I cry because I can't say goodbye. I cry because I'm alone.

Janet sits beside me. She hugs me, tightly and whispers; "Sssh, it's going to be okay. I promise everything's going to be okay." I remember thinking it will be okay because Janet and her friend Rachel will look after me. Everything _was_ going to be okay after all.

* * *

**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	6. CHAPTER VI

ϟ

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**.  
_when you need a friend._

* * *

With the description Ainsley gave, they were able to process it into a efit. He was obviously their first suspect, their first and only suspect. They didn't even have a motive for the killing either, it wasn't a random attack but it wasn't planned either, it wasn't a robbery gone wrong etc.

All they had was a victim, twenty-four year old Nikki Bates and a four year old witness, Ainsley.

"I want every CCTV camera reviewing in the area where our victim was killed. I want house-to-house, every bin, wasteland and god knows what else searched. Everyone you talk too, I want you to show the picture of Dickhead here. Someone must know who he is. Everyone got that?"

Everyone nodded, "Right, off you go!"

"Boss?" Gill turned around and looked at Kevin, "What is it Kevin?"

"Social Services are downstairs about the kid."

She nodded. Gill swallowed and looked at Janet. Janet said she'd do it, she was the one with the closest bond with Ainsley but Gill said Rachel should do it. Rachel was about to protest but soon shut up, she didn't want to do it, she couldn't do it.

She stood up and began to walk out of the incident room, heading downstairs.

"DC Bailey," She smiled at the woman not much older than herself as she put her hand out.

"Helen Clarke, Social Services. You've got a young girl here, Ainsley?"

"Yeah, do you want to see her?" She walked towards the room where Ainsley was, Helen following slowly behind. As Rachel stepped into the room, I looked up teddy clutched in my arms and I wondered who the woman with Rachel was.

"Who's she?"

Rachel looked at the woman, then me and then the woman again. Slowly, she walked towards me and knelt down to my level;

"This is Helen, she's going to look after you, find you a home."

I look at Rachel and I shake my head, "But I don't want to go."

There's a silence until Rachel whispers; "You have too. You and Teddy need to be together, be somewhere safe. Helen will help you, she's lovely. I'm sure if you're really good, she's let you have some sweets."

I pout, "But Rachel, I want to stay with you and Janet!"

She hugs me tightly before she tells me that if it's okay with Helen, I can come and visit. I nod. I shuffle off the seat and hold my hand out to Helen. She seems nice, a little old but nice. Feeling Helen's hand around my own, I look back at Rachel and I smile;

"Bye bye Rachel."

"Bye Ainsley."

/

He's sat in his house, staring at the pile of books on his wooden table.

He's sub-consciously planning his next killing, his next brutal murder until the sound of the televison makes him look up. On the television is the news, the female newsreader saying about a murder.

An efit flashes up on screen and he stops breathing for a second.

It's him. The efit is him. Someone saw him, someone knew he's the killer.

He closes his eyes and tries to remember where he went wrong. How he messed up the perfect crime. It was only then that he remembered Nikki's daughter. Yes, Nikki had a daughter. He forgot about her. He breathed out, she was there.

Ainsley was there and Ainsley saw him.

Shit, shit, shit. She was the witness, the only person who could bring him down. He had to find her and kill her.

/

I stand outside staring at the big building. It's red with lots of windows and doors. I'm scared. I clutch Helen's hand tighter and whisper; "I'm scared."

"I know it looks scary but it's a lovely place inside." I want to believe her but I don't. She lies. She's lying now. It won't be nice. It will be horrible. She leads me to the big brown door and she opens it.

I smell baking, muffins. It makes tears pool in my eyes because it reminds me of mummy. Me and mummy always baked cakes or cookies or muffins. Helen noticed the tears and knelt down, "What's wrong?"

"I miss mummy!" My bottom lip wobbles and she hugs me tightly. She leads me into the living room where they are a lot of people and I hide behind Helen feeling a little scared and silly.

It's a care home, this big house. The big children are children nobody wanted like me. Nobody wants me. Nobody wants me except mummy but she's dead. She takes me to my bedroom, a small room with a bed and a wardrobe and some books.

I sit on the edge of the bed and swing my legs.

"When we get some of your things, it'll look like your bedroom at home, yes?"

I nod but I know she's lying. This bedroom will never look like my bedroom at home. The smell is different. The colours are different. Everything is different, nothing is the same so how can it be _my_ bedroom.

I lie on the bed, on my tummy and cry.

I don't like being on my own.

* * *

**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	7. CHAPTER VII

ϟ

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN**.  
_high school never ends._

* * *

I don't sleep very well. I have a poorly tummy. I miss mummy. I cry too much.

Someone shouts at me. One of the big kids. They tell me I shouldn't be a cry baby because nobody cares. I feel sad then. I feel sad that nobody cares about me. I'm just — I'm just useless. I hate myself.

I do sleep but when it is very, very late.

When I wake up, I'm not in my bedroom. I am not even in the big house. I'm in somebody elses room, in somebody elses house. I feel someone stroke my hair the way my mummy used too and I wonder if it's my mummy.

"Mummy?" I whisper.

I see him, the bad man. I feel scared again. Janet and Rachel said he'd never hurt me.

They lied; "Hello Ainsley, remember me?"

He has a funny voice. A funny accent. I nod. I remember him. I don't think I will ever forget him. He's the horrible man who took away my mummy from me. I will never, ever, ever forget him.

"What do you want?" I ask. I look for teddy but I can't find him. I must have left him behind.

He strokes my cheek. I don't like his touch, it's horrible; "I think you know Ainsley what I want."

He killed mummy. He's going to kill me too isn't he? I don't cry. I'm not scared. I want him to do it. I want him to kill me. When he does, I will see mummy and daddy again and I won't be on my own anymore.

He kisses my forehead, "Be a good girl and go to sleep."

/

"SHIT!" Gill slams the phone down in her office and marches out, "Ainsley's gone missing from the care home."

"What?!" Janet exclaims, "How?"

"Any closer to finding out who our friend is here?"

Rachel shook her head, "Nothing yet."

There was an excited squeel as such coming from Kevin. Rachel, Janet and Gill looked at him, "Sorry Boss, I think I've got something. Annoymous phonecall about ten minutes ago gave us a name, Edward Jacobs. I've just checked him out and the bastard lives five minutes away from the care home."

"Good work Kevin, has he got previous?"

"Three counts of rape against prostitutes, the latest two years ago."

"Nothing since?"

"Nothing."

There's a brief silence on Gill's part before she replies; "Come on, let's see if we can catch the bastard at home!"

/

I'm scared and cold.

I want teddy and I want Janet and Rachel, they said they'd look after me. They told me the bad man wouldn't be able to hurt me anymore. They lied. The bad man is here. The bad man is hurting me.

He digs his nails into my arm, "You're hurting me!"

"That's just the beginning."

He scares me. I know he scares me because he did when he killed mummy. I wonder if he's going to kill me too.

"Are you going to kill me?"

He doesn't answer. He nods. I look him in the eyes and I whisper, "Do it, kill me."

I hear the sound of smacking flesh and the side of my cheek begins to sting. I bring my arm hand to my face and I'm about to rub it when he grabs my wrist. He twists my arm and I sob. He laughs. He wonders why I had to be so difficult.

"You'll do as you're told, so shut up!"

A tear rolls down my cheek as I nod. I understand. I must listen.

/

There's a knock on the door and he looks scared. I wonder who's at the door.

He tells me to be quiet but this is my chance. I scream. He puts a hand over my mouth and tells me I'm going to be sorry for doing that.

* * *

**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	8. CHAPTER VIII

ϟ

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT**.  
_you're the smoke to my high._

* * *

The knocking gets louder. He lets go off my mouth as he reaches for the bedside table.

There's a needle on there and a little pot of liquid. I'm scared so I shout again, "HEEEEEELP!"

He stares at me, his eyes cold and I feel sick inside my tummy. He makes up the needle and tells me to hold still. I don't. I struggle and he holds me in place. Then he jabs the needle into my neck as I hear the door smash open.

"You stupid bitch." I hear him whisper as darkness surrounds me.

/

"Ainsley? Ainsley?!" Janet shouts up the stairs. She finds her on the bed, out cold. She kneels beside her and touches her skin. She's freezing and for a moment, Janet thinks she's dead. She presses her fingers against Ainsley's neck and breathes a sigh of relief when she feels a pulse.

Rachel stands in the doorway, "Is she—"

Janet shakes her head, "No, she's alive."

She's about to turn and walk away when someone grabs her from behind. She feels something cold press against her throat and Rachel swallows hard.

"Step away from the girl or your mate gets it." Janet turns around at the sound of a male's voice. He's got Rachel. There's a knife pressed against her throat and she steps away from Ainsley, heading away from the bed.

"Let her go and we can talk."

Edward laughs. Why does everyone think talking solves anything. It doesn't, it never does; "No." He presses the knife deeper into her throat. Rachel is terrified, she isn't going to lie. It's not often you're taken hostage during your job, yes it was a possibility.

He hears the sound of footsteps up the stairs and he turns, his back to Janet. She scans the room for something, anything to use and finds a glass vase. She picks it up and edges towards him. Then she smashes it against his head.

Rachel's able to get out of his grip and Edward falls forward, the knife falling against the floor. Rachel kicks it away before she puts the handcuffs on him. She knows it's pointless reading him his rights, he's out cold.

"You alright kid?" Gill asks and Rachel nods.

She's okay, she just knows she came bloody close to have her throat slit that's all. Janet's sat on the edge of the bed, stroking Ainsley's cheek hoping she'll wake up soon. She runs her fingers through her hair, "Wake up Ainsley, please."

/

She's been out of it for an hour. The Doctor's say she should wake up soon, they don't know what she was given but she was definitely drugged. There's no other injuries thank goodness, just the faint slap mark on her cheek.

Janet blames herself. She broke a promise to Ainsley that the bad man would never hurt her and he did and it was her fault. It's probably that guilt that insists she stays by Ainsley's side until she wakes up.

I stir and opens my eyes. I yawns and glance around, my eyes falling upon Janet, "You came back!"

Janet nods and hugs me tightly, "Of course I did."

I look around for my tteddy bear but I can't find it. I hate not been with teddy. He protects me; "I knew you would. I knew you'd come back! I kept saying your name over and over again. You came back for me. Thank you."

She smiles sadly, "I'm sorry."

I frown. Why is she sorrry? I pout, "But what for?"

"I promised the bad man wouldn't hurt you and he did. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, he didn't hurt me a lot. He just said some horrible words." There is a silence as I look at Janet and smile, "Pretty please can I have some sweeties? I'm hungry."

Janet smiles, "Well maybe you can have some sweeties after, okay? What sweeties are your favourite?"

"Smarties!" I exclaim and she laughs, "Mine too."

* * *

**jottings** — if you like it enough to favourite/alert, please leave a review:3


	9. EPILOGUE

ϟ

* * *

**EPILOGUE**.  
_you only get one chance._

* * *

"This is your bedroom, I hope you like it."

I stand in the room. It's small and it's pretty. The wall's are yellow and the bed has a Hello Kitty duvet. I smile, "It's pretty."

I feel strange been in a room that I don't think of as my own. I know it will take a while to get used to it. I sit on the edge of the bed, careful not to get anything dirty. I shuffle before placing the teddy on the pillow.

There's a lot of teddy's on top of the wardrobe and I smile.

"Ainsley, do you like it?" I nod. I do like the room. It just makes me miss my mummy, "Yes but—"

I make eye contact with Janet and I smile. She reads my thoughts and sits down on the edge of the bed beside me. She puts her arm around me and whispers that it'll be okay, it's just going to take a while to get used too.

I don't know how or why, we end up jumping on the bed but I know I will be okay. I have Janet and Janet has me. Janet can never replace my mummy but that's okay. She can love me like my mummy did though and that's okay.

That means I will never be on my own. I think I'm going to be okay now, I am going to be happy.

* * *

**jottings** — firstly, i'd like to apologise about how long it's taken for me to update this. the problem with me and multichapters if i have to be in the mood for them. i just haven't had the motivation to write cracks until now.

secondly, the ending. it's probably unlikely it would ever happen but i like the bond janet and ainsley have. last but not least, number three. thank you for everyone who read and reviewed as well as favourited and alerted, it means a lot :3


End file.
